Cerny is the mastermind behind the design and construction of this enchanting mansion, and his special touch has captured the discerning gaze of homebuyers from as far away as Dubai and Hong Kong. When asked who his target market is, he humbly replies: “We don’t build homes for just anyone. Our clientele is a niche few that expect the finer things in life, and expect best-quality practices to achieve this,” as he welcomes me to tour his masterpiece, affectionately known as Saxony Manor. His polished wardrobe and old-world charm are a perfect foreword to the home’s sophisticated cordiality, reminiscent of the early 1900s.

Once the sublime wonder of the main foyer’s detailed design settles, I look straight ahead to see The Great Room – a name that truly reflects the supremeness of the space. Immediately a window-wall that provides a picturesque view greets you, with the enchanting scenery of a forested backyard and a 300-foot ravine drop to the Mississauga Golf and Country Club. Some might say that the room itself is even more striking than the million-dollar view. With plank-sized North American white oak hardwood floors, mystic black African wenge pinstriping, intricate recessed plaster wall panelling and a spectacular, floor-to-ceiling solid hand-carved marble fireplace mantle, it truly leaves you breathless. “We try to build every room with some flair, some sort of artistic twist or something special that makes it scream out a little bit of originality. We don’t build your typical box-type room,” says Cerny.

Saxony Manor is one of only six homes in Ontario with 100 per cent of its exterior built with buffed and chamfered Indiana limestone. “There is no precast, no stucco, no imitation man-made stone. Just real, quarried limestone,” says Cerny. It took him a year’s worth of choreographing cranes, welders and stone masons to place the $1 million-valued limestone on the 16-inch to 24-inch thick concrete foundation walls, and 25 tons of structural steel framing throughout the home. It is the first home in Mississauga with 600-amp power and the 13th home with a two-inch water main.

Though the house certainly screams success, it lacks the pretentiousness that can taint a natural sentiment of intimacy. “It’s important to make our spaces liveable and warm. It doesn’t feel like it’s an 18,000-square foot home,” says Cerny, who achieves this warmth with a $1 million-worth HVAC system, in-floor heating, Automated Smart Home System, BASF foam insulation found throughout the home and a heightened attention to unique subtleties that create statements of affluence. Some of these details can be seen when looking up at the ceiling in the family room, which is completely constructed from authentic hardwood floor planks or the $350,000-worth of custom plaster work throughout. “We excel at constructing complex building structures and interior designs, hoping that it will yield that wow-factor. Someone is going to look up at this and really appreciate it,” he quietly remarks.

Saxony Manor’s kitchen is fit for a king and queen, with its granite and copper mineral veined countertops (only 16 slabs sold in Canada; Cerny scooped up four), custom cabinetry and technologically accelerated appliances. These exceptional touches are adorned throughout the home, such as the chevron-patterned hardwood flooring, coffered ceilings and panelled walls in the office – all made from North American black walnut. The 118-year-old leaning maple tree now turned into a harvest table in the Gathering Room, and the ensuite bathroom with a water beam that streams from the ceiling to fill the hot tub make life beautifully comfortable.

Cerny’s truism of never cutting corners is perhaps one of the reasons why he commissioned a Hungarian sculptor to make the clay model of the two-foot-tall Corinthian from which the mould was cast to make the final plaster product from. A walnut-panelled elevator takes you from the third floor in-law suite down to a cork-floored fitness room, sound-proof movie theatre, and prestigious party room. This dream home impresses with a double-decker European eight-car lift system, a lower-level Spanish cedar and stone wine cellar, and upper-level library. A master bedroom the size of a condominium is complete with a walnut walk-in dressing room and 18-foot ceilings. Every detail was completely designed by Cerny – from floor plans and elevations, to the custom wrought-iron work, plaster work, self-supporting elliptical staircase with church-sized handrails, and custom cabinetry valued at $700,000.

Ambassador’s latest feat includes an award for Best Practice from the Canadian Project Excellence Awards and a nomination for Best New Home Design at the upcoming 30th annual BILD Awards. This acclaim goes beyond Saxony Manor’s stunning esthetics and into the realm of structural ingenuity. With 18 kilometres of wiring, fibre optics, Crestron lighting and advanced technology with hidden wiring for art collections, this mansion is wired for the future. “So many people are solely concerned about the cosmetic appeal, which is great, but I wish more people would be equally concerned about the integrity of what is behind the walls,” says Cerny.

Every spatial extent of Saxony Manor has been artistically and architecturally accounted for. “I love the use of cubic footage, not just square footage. Often, a substantially taller room with interesting lines can bring more opulence and a more dramatic feel to it,” says Cerny, as he stands beneath Saxony Manor’s towering ceilings. The only thing this home needs now is a family that is fervent to fill the unwritten pages of this fairy tale. www.ambassadorfinecustomhomesinc.com 416.777.2324

Founded 30 years ago by principal and chief designer Carl Herrmann, Windemere Custom Homes began with an eye for magnificent havens. Constructing grandiose docks, boathouses and cottages was just the start. “A lot of the design cues came from the Muskoka region and more traditional European homes, which created a company that brought that sort of flair to urban Toronto,” says Mark Kubista, planner and project manager. “Today our homes are built with understated elegance and a lot of presence. The vast majority of our customers have refined taste and strong opinions about what they want.” From young families to retired executives, Windemere builds lavish dwellings for notable clientele, including retired NHL player Kirk Muller.

Although every custom home is uniquely tailored, Windemere’s signature designs include steep rooflines, dormer windows, natural stone exteriors, and cedar or slate tops. Master suites are treated as an escape for owners, equipped with an oasis of fireplaces, separate his-and-her walk-in closets, ensuite bathrooms with seating areas and lounges, and showers with heated benches and steam units. In terms of layout and entertainment, Windemere takes the finest care to make sure its homes sit within a natural environment. “We create courtyards, invite areas to step outside of the home, and open up large doors into outdoor dining and living spaces,” Kubista says. “In the end, the home looks like it’s been there forever, because we make sure existing trees and vegetation are kept undisturbed.”

But the icing on the cake comes with amenities that give something exciting to each person living in the same home. “It’s not just appearance; it’s about how you want to live your life,” Kubista says of the inimitable requests he facilitates. One client was an automotive enthusiast and wanted space to enjoy his cars without the burden of a garish garage. Windemere’s solution was simple – a multi-vehicle underground garage. “Similar to an apartment building, it has parking for a dozen cars and it’s finished as a showroom, with stone walls and a car wash. It’s really a dolce vita feature that’s not very common.” And for customers a little less automobile-savvy and a lot more canine-adoring, the company can incorporate a fully furnished pet area, which was built for a client with an abundance of show dogs. “The individual kennel bays have beautiful wrought-iron gates on one side, and automatic wooden doors that open to the outside, which are fully gas-proof and insulated.”

With a gift for developing the illustrious, the company also puts a roof over the heads of the less fortunate through Habitat for Humanity. “We’ll never demolish an old home without giving them a walk-through to collect every reusable piece. It avoids landfills and it helps people in need.” Doing its part to articulate dreams and build inspirational living spaces, Windemere creates royally sweet homes for the elegantly inclined.

T: 416.630.1500
www.windemerehomes.ca

Such creativity is perhaps the first thing that separates Wardell from other custom home builders. Adding to the company’s long list of credentials is that it is a build-only – not a design-build – company, which means it is not tied to one architect, or one team of designers. “This allows us to work on the most interesting architecture that’s done,” says Wardell.

Wardell Builders, Inc. is recognized equally for its lavish contemporary houses, made from concrete or metal with precision, and for its traditional homes. Building with 100-year-old tiles, antique timber and true interior plaster, the company uses only the best materials for its projects. The builders search all over the world to find the right resources and specialty companies for every home, from France, China and England, to the United States and Canada.

Based in the earthquake-prone city of San Diego, California, Wardell must always be on his toes, preparing his homes for the worst. But the experienced builder isn’t intimidated by this challenge. “If it wasn’t challenging, we wouldn’t do it,” he says. He admits that when a professional design team works with a sophisticated and educated client, obstacles are bound to appear. “It is the builder’s responsibility to address those hurdles and come up with concrete solutions,” he explains.

Wardell Builders, Inc. prides itself on envisioning the finished project and its meticulous attention to detail. “I have always had a very good ability to think in three dimensions,” explains Wardell. “I think that’s a quality of any truly good builder.”

With a price tag ranging from $2 – 20 million for a custom home, Wardell attracts a well-established, discerning clientele. Although building in California can be tricky, it is its expertise in structural design and construction that makes Wardell Builders, Inc. a premier choice in custom home building.

When asked about his favourite project to date, Wardell chuckles and responds, “I don’t even have a favourite architectural style!” He proceeds without skipping a beat. “If you put your heart and soul into something, it is very hard not to love it, and if you put your heart and soul into many things, you tend to love them all.” He explains that his appreciation for architectural styles and what they have to offer, paired with a project that truly reflects the client and their lifestyle, creates a personal relationship. The final product, he believes, is an extension of the relationship created between the client and the builder. This is something that you can’t help but admire.

www.wardellbuilders.com

Driving along the prestigious areas of Post Road and Bridal Path in Toronto, you won’t be able to miss Saeid Sarrafian’s latest creations. With extravagant gates, fresh mosaics and lush gardens, every part of a Luxury Castle Home boasts opulence.

Step inside and discover a home fit for royalty – sunlight pouring in from the abundant skylights, every room like a page out of a fairytale, lavish stairs leading you to the second floor, and the colossal indoor pool inviting you to take a dip.

Since each masterpiece resembles a historic castle, Sarrafian has added his own element of elegance to the GTA with his acclaimed building company, Luxury Castle Homes. And with the mantra: “If you can dream it, we can build it,” there is no question that enlisting Sarrafian will help you create the home of your dreams.

As a luxury homebuilder, Luxury Castle Homes offers an extensive portfolio of unique and remarkable designs, built upon three decades of international experience. A talented team of architects, engineers and craftsmen work together to create homes unparalleled in design and quality. The artisan homebuilder promises you a distinctively unique home unlike any other. “Your home is the biggest investment of your life,” says Sarrafian. “You have to consider that when building a house.”

Having built his own one-of-a-kind home, Sarrafian’s work draws the attention of people everywhere. “I have people approaching me all the time,” he says. “They drop by my house, like the work that I do and ask me to design for them.”

Renowned for his exceptional designs, Sarrafian’s art of building genuine and visually stimulating homes has grown into a reputation that speaks volumes. He describes his style as unique and practical, with European and Middle Eastern influences. “Each home should be unique … the houses I build are going to last for a long time, and I work with my clients on every single detail in the house.” A true environmentalist, Sarrafian has also been known to be green-conscious when building his homes, ensuring that they are energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Although Sarrafian has contributed to a number of fields throughout his life, he was always a builder at heart. Involved in his family’s construction company since childhood, Sarrafian was always interested in building. “I have appreciated architecture and landscape since I was a young boy,” he recalls. “When I travel, I’ll look at buildings for inspiration.”

Sarrafian took his immense passion for architecture, design and history, and applied it to his company, where he can offer his clients all of these elements in the homes that he creates for them.

A true artist, Sarrafian identifies the best part of his career as creation itself, or, as he says: “Making something out of nothing.”

Despite his obvious successes, Sarrafian did not have anything handed to him. His success is the product of sheer hard work and determination. “I had my own mind in doing things … if I want something, I imagine being there and I go for it,” he says. “I live life as a learning experience … I connect easily with people and I think that is the key to success.”

Sarrafian’s positive outlook on life has likely helped him to achieve the success that he has today. When asked if he believes in dreams, he says: “Yes … if you dream something, you can make it come true, it just takes effort and knowledge. Things don’t happen by chance or by accident,” he advises. “You have to go for it.”

Busy career aside, Sarrafian always makes time for the things he loves. His exciting interests have enabled him to become a licensed pilot and scuba diver. He is also a talented musician and started playing music and composing at the tender age of 13. A singer, who plays piano, guitar, and drums, Sarrafian says that he was never formerly trained. “I have a good ear for music and I invented my own formula with my hands … I don’t play with the notes, I change things,” he says. His latest musical achievement was the composition of the soundtrack for a documentary entitled Unveiled Dreams.

And it doesn’t stop there. “I plan to expand my company with some larger projects in the future,” he confides.

www.luxurycastlehomes.com